title: Low levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide are associated with Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.
abstract: The interconnection between immune and neuroendocrine systems influences regulation of inflammatory responses. The possible relevance that this integrative response may have during the course of Chagas disease remains poorly characterized. In this context, our study was designed to determine the expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a neuropeptide with anti-inflammatory properties, in blood from the indeterminate and cardiac polarized forms of Chagas disease. Moreover, we determined whether the differential expression of VIP is associated with the development of cardiomyopathy in individuals infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Finally, we analyzed gene polymorphisms of VIP receptors, VPAC1 and VPAC2, and performed correlation analysis of these polymorphisms with the different clinical forms of Chagas disease. Our results demonstrated that low plasma levels of VIP were associated with the cardiac morbidity in Chagas disease. Accordingly, correlation analysis showed that low plasma levels of VIP were associated with worse cardiac function, as determined by left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular diastolic diameter values. Polymorphism analysis showed a significant association between VPAC1 and the indeterminate form of Chagas disease development. Our data indicate that VIP expression and its receptors' polymorphism may be important in determining susceptibility to progression from mild to severe forms of Chagas disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marielle Valério
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.forename: Manoel Otávio
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: da Costa Rocha
authors.forename: Giovane Rodrigo
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: do Carmo Pereira Nunes
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Gollob
authors.forename: Walderez O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Dutra
authors.forename: Cristiane Alves
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: da Silva Menezes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001938:Brazil; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D051239:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Type II / Q000235:genetics; D051238:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide, Type I / Q000235:genetics; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051239:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Type II; D051238:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide, Type I; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide
keywords: LVDD; LVEF; VIP; left ventricular diastolic diameter; left ventricular ejection fraction; vasoactive intestinal peptide